One form of electronic article surveillance (EAS) marker in widespread use is in the form of a flat, thin, flexible, rectangular member which is applied adhesively to flat or curved exterior surfaces of articles. One shortcoming of such exterior surface application is that, while often covered by a bar code label, the presence of the EAS marker nonetheless is evident since it is visible from the sides of the bar code label. Still further, the EAS marker is accessible to a customer.
Commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,909 discloses a so-called “seal” comprising a one-piece body having first and second members closable one upon the other and thereupon respectively defining first and second outer seal walls and a tail peripherally continuous with at least one of the first and second members at a third outer seal wall the tail having a hook at a free end thereof. The seal body defines an interior recess and a detent opening into said third outer seal wall for retentive reception of the tail hook interiorly of the seal. An EAS marker is disposed in the seal body recess and is contained therein between the first and second outer seal walls upon closure of the first and second members.
The '909 patent seal is used by circumscribing a portion of an article, e.g., a watchband, with the tail and then inserting the tail hook into the seal body detent.
The EAS marker is a flat ferromagnetic strip member and is detectable by various known EAS systems, e.g., where the marker is not deactivated (as at an article payment checkout counter) and is carried through EAS marker detection gates at a facility exit.
The above first-discussed practice of applying the EAS marker to the exterior of an article of manufacture, despite its noted disadvantage, has advantage over the EAS marker hidden embodiment of the '909 patent in that the supplier of the EAS marker-equipped article of manufacture has clear awareness that the article is EAS marker-protected. Thus, the EAS marker assembly of the '909 patent is not inspectable as to the presence or absence of the EAS marker or as to its condition, i.e., intact or not intact.